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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25625545">my heart is buried waiting for someone to take it home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinybeep/pseuds/tinybeep'>tinybeep</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(pointing a gun at sukka) im so sorry but i have to....., Abuse, Homophobia, M/M, a tad bit of internalized homophobia, aang is a good friend and i love him, also i don't think it's like Graphic but it's kinda gross and icky, and general, azula deserved a redemption arc, i dont like jet i just needed a boy, it's not super relevant but it's important to me that you know, mai and ty lee are lesbians in the background, past one sided sokka/suki, road trip au, so. warning for that, sokka bi king, warning there's like...abuse, yknow, yknow. ozai is a bitch boy, zuko's burn i mean</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:34:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>18,609</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25625545</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinybeep/pseuds/tinybeep</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zuko gets kicked out and has nowhere to go, but luckily for him, there's a certain group of friends on their way to visit their grandmother who happen to find him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), zukka</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>685</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Friday</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>title is from my heart is buried in venice by ricky montgomery!! i just cut out the in venice part because. they are not in venice. </p>
<p>also this is for my friend stellanie and thank u so so so so so much @ my gf for helping me come up with the Entire plot in like. one night and helping me edit and my friend jasper for hyping me the hell up</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sun was beating down on him as it crept down the horizon. It felt like he was walking inside an oven, heat throbbing through his limbs and in his head as he trudged down the sidewalk. It was humid under the collar of his shirt and he felt the dampness of sweat on his back, but he didn’t stop. He couldn’t. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The road next to him thundered with cars as they roared past while he put one heavy foot in front of the other with unflinching determination. He refused to look up, not wanting to see any potential faces that might be peering out of car windows. He didn’t want to face the fact that other people could see him, though the smell of rubber tires on hot asphalt and the honking horns of angry drivers made it undeniable. He didn’t want to think about how they saw a teenager walking down a street at sunset, only a backpack slung over his shoulder, holding a wad of paper towels to his face. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>His mind was mercifully blank as he walked. There was only the sidewalk in front of him and the fading sun to his right. It was only just starting to cool off; a dry breeze blew around him, cicadas singing in the humid air as the long shadows cast off of telephone poles and road signs began to melt away. He only looked up at his surroundings once the sidewalk crumbled and weaved its broken pieces into the dirt and dead grass laid out before him. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He wasn’t sure how far he’d walked. He looked around, not seeing much other than a small gas station. There was a fast food chain inside the convenience store, and so he let his tired feet carry him to the entrance. He didn’t look to the cashier in greeting when they looked up as the door signaled his entrance. He pretended he didn’t see any of the people in his peripheral vision, focused on grabbing the things he needed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He ignored the cashier’s shocked gasp when he dumped an armful of medical supplies on the counter. The girl kept glancing up at his face as she tried to scan all his items as quickly as she could. He pretended to be interested in the various trinkets they were selling around the register, dropping his change in the collection jar for some charity after he paid. He shoved the door to the bathroom open, thanking whatever gods were out there that it was empty. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He set his bag down on one of the sinks and looked up at himself in the mirror. He grimaced; the whole left side of his face was shockingly red, even the parts not covered by his paper towel bandage. His right cheek was swollen violet and black, right on the crest of his cheekbone. Blood and other fluids he didn’t want to think about ran in thin trails down the side of his face and neck, the towel itself stained a watery pink. He ground his teeth as he peeled the makeshift wrappings away from his face; it stuck to his skin, taking small pieces away with the towel as it was removed. His eye was swollen shut, the skin around it red and angry and blistered. His face was a mangled mess, bloody and raw. When he raised his hand, he felt the heat emanating off his skin before his fingers even touched his face. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He grabbed another wad of paper towels from the dispenser and wet them. He gently dabbed at the wound, trying to remove the remnants of the previous bandage and the dead pieces of skin that still clung to his flesh. He was thankful again that the bathroom was empty save for him as a pained gasp tore its way out of his throat. He rinsed his face with water, the coolness of it drawing out some of the heat trapped in the burn, and cleaned away the dried blood from the rest of his face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He wasn’t sure exactly how long it took him, but he managed to swab the wound with an antibiotic ointment and put some proper bandages over it, secured with gauze and tape. He shoved the leftover supplies in his backpack and finally left the bathroom, making a beeline for the food counter at the other side of the tiny store. Since he had been inside, away from the aching heat of the evening and consumed by the dull numbness of his mind, he was quickly made aware that he hadn’t eaten since that morning. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He ignored this cashier as much as he could, like he had with the first one, and only when he was sitting alone in a tiny corner booth was he able to sip his soda and let the strange feeling of apathy wash over him again. He ate his meal almost mechanically; his hands brought the food to his mouth and he felt himself chew and swallow, but he tasted none of the grease and salt his food was no doubt saturated with. Even though the issue grew more pressing with each moment that passed, he couldn’t bring himself to think about the immediate future. Almost as if his mind was filtering out any rational thought, his brain simply refused to come up with any sort of plan for what he was going to do or where he was going to go. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He really must have been in shock because he gave no indication of acknowledgement as a group of rowdy teens all but fell through the door, even as the workers and other patrons of the little store glanced at them with barely concealed looks of exasperation. All outside noise sounded something like television static to him as he continued with his meal, folding the wrappers neatly once he was done. He worried with his straw for lack of anything else to focus on, easily lost in his thoughts, which were forming with increasing coherency, unfortunate as it was for him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em> He had seen the many faces of his father before. He knew what he looked like when he was disappointed, disinterested, pleased, amused, angry, but he had never seen him make </em> that <em> face before. He knew he flinched, he stepped back, his own visage screwed up in a look of unequivocal terror, but he didn’t react in any way that was enough to protect himself from what was to come next.  </em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> Before his mouth was able to open to question or defend, he was all but knocked off his feet by the collision of his father’s fist into his cheek. He stumbled from the shock more than from the pain, knocked down into the kitchen counter. The pain of the strike spread through his cheek at the same time he registered pain on the other side of his face; he had landed on a lit burner of the stove. He tried to jerk away, but there was a strong hand on his shoulder holding him down. He heard his father roaring at him, but the words were lost, drowned out by a piercing cry that could only have been his. His body jerked but he was unable to break free of the iron grip of his own father, shuddering uncontrollably as the flame of the gas stove melted his skin and seared his flesh.  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> When his father finally released him he tore away, barely taking a moment to stare at the man in horror before he snatched his phone off the counter and dashed down the hall. He locked himself in his room while he haphazardly shoved things into a backpack. Clothes, wallet, essentials; he zipped it shut and burst out of his room again, stopping into the kitchen only to grab a fistful of paper towels. His sister was there, next to their father, her look of amusement quickly growing into one of dismay. He pressed the towels to his blistering face and turned on his heel, slamming the front door behind him as he flew out of the house and onto the street. And so he had begun to walk, and he walked for a very long time.  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His back hit the hard plastic of the booth he was sitting at as he flinched suddenly at a hand waving frantically in front of his face. He looked around in confusion. It was though he was taking in the sensory information on a delay; there were people around him, he saw their mouths moving, but he heard nothing they said. He blinked stupidly, trying to drag his mind out of its stupor so he could react to the situation. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zuko?” he finally discerned what one of the voices said, only recognizing it vaguely as his name. As he stared at the person, he saw it was Aang, one of the people he went to high school with. He was the one who had waved in his face, frowning as he leant over his table. “Are you alright?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As his good sense returned to him, he saw that many of Aang’s friends were fanned out around him. His friends Toph and Katara were there as well, Katara standing behind him looking unimpressed. “What’s wrong with him?” Toph asked. She was frowning, looking in his direction but not quite <em> at </em> him; he quickly remembered that she was blind. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He turned his face away as Aang and Katara looked at him, their mouths agape as they tried to find a way to describe him to their friend. “What do you want?” he asked, clearing his throat after his voice came out raspy and grating. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Katara huffed at him and crossed her arms, but Aang’s eyes were bright with concern. “What are you doing here, Zuko?” he asked, glancing from his face to the backpack next to him. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He stared resolutely down at the table, not meeting any of their eyes. “Nothing.” He heard them exclaim in frustration, but he refused to look at them. He didn’t want them to see that he was hurting more than was already visible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aang and his friends were not friends of his. His history with them went back years; back in his middle school days, around the time his mother died, he and his sister were not the kindest to the other students. Zuko, Azula, and their friends were quite the pack of bullies; they were condescending and ruthless to anyone they deemed lesser, which more often than not were Aang’s friends. Their egos were inflated by their parents’ status and their cruelty was fueled by the breakdown of Zuko’s family. Katara and her brother Sokka had been particular victims of his since they were so quick to anger. Katara was fiercely protective of her friends and family, and so when Zuko’s internal turmoil and identity crisis drove him to lash out at Sokka, Katara’s disdain for him was solidified. In recent years Zuko’s relationship with Aang and his friends had mellowed out; Zuko fought with Azula more, accepted the different aspects of himself, and he realized (with a little of his Uncle’s help) that taking his pain out on others got him nowhere. They weren’t exactly friendly with each other, but they weren’t quite hostile either. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aang was always kind. He was able to brush off Zuko’s harsh words with relative ease, and his calm demeanor rarely wavered. It made perfect sense that he was the one to slide into the booth across from him, concern practically radiating off of him in waves. “It’s alright, Zuko, you can tell us,” Aang said, his voice gentle and firm.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A moment later, the door chimed again to signal the arrival of more customers, who turned out to be none other than Sokka and his friend Suki. They spotted their friends immediately and came over to Zuko’s table, gasping in shock when they saw him. “Zuko!” Sokka exclaimed. “You look terrible!” He yelped in pain a second later as Toph punched him. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I can’t see what they’re all talking about,” Toph said, turning away from Sokka to look in his direction again. “But if everyone’s saying something, it sounds pretty bad. What happened to you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyone was looking at him. He glanced away again, but he crumbled under the weight of their combined gaze. “I left,” he muttered.<br/><br/></p>
<p>“You <em> left</em>?” Katara asked, looking unimpressed. “I think you’re being just a <em> little </em> vague. That doesn’t explain the huge bandage covering half of your face.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Bandage?” Toph asked. “What happened?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, Zuko, what happened?” Sokka demanded.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It looks really bad, have you seen a doctor?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How did you manage to hurt your <em> face</em>?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I think it’s bleeding through the gauze…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What kind of injury looks like that?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is your eye still there?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I WAS KICKED OUT!” Zuko yelled finally, unable to take any more of their interrogation. “I got the hell out of there, okay? I left and I walked and now I’m here. Are you fucking happy now?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The entire store was silent. The employees and other patrons had snapped their attention towards his outburst, and Zuko lowered his head, his face burning with the shame of the truth and that it had just become public knowledge. He could only hear the humming of car engines outside and the rush of blood in his own ears. He would’ve buried his face in his arms if it wouldn’t cause him even more pain, but he was quickly pulled out of his downwards spiral. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Do you want to come with us?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zuko’s head shot up in shock. It was Sokka who spoke, his face strangely open and vulnerable. “What?” His voice came out as a rough whisper. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We’re going to visit our Gran Gran. It’s a few days’ drive away, but it’s a nice trip. Do you want to come with us?” Katara looked appalled, but Aang beamed at Zuko, nodding in encouragement. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He thought hard as he stared at Sokka in disbelief. These people were mere acquaintances; they were not his friends, and they didn’t owe him anything. If anything, <em> he </em> owed <em> them </em> for all the ways he’d been cruel to them over the years. He barely knew them and he certainly didn’t know Sokka and Katara’s grandmother, and they didn’t really know him either. He didn’t know where they were going and he was nowhere near prepared for a road trip. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>But he didn’t have anywhere else to go.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> “Are you sure?” he asked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Toph lit up. “Yeah! It’ll be fun!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He glanced from face to face, seeing nothing but sincerity and compassion. He finally nodded after a moment of contemplation. “Okay.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And so he found himself crammed into the back of a minivan, a pile of luggage between him and Toph. He stared out the window, quiet, watching the lights from street lamps and other cars streak by. Everyone else in the car chatted around him, laughing at old inside jokes and throwing around lighthearted insults at each other. The sky was completely dark by then, the glow from the city fading with every mile they drove, allowing more and more stars to shine through the inky blackness. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He wasn’t sure how long they drove, but they soon pulled into the parking lot of a tiny motel. Everyone began to climb out of the car and retrieve their bags, and so he followed suit. He was lost, still reeling from the events of the day, only able to stand with the group of people and go where he was led. They dragged their bags down a dingy hallway until the group split in two; boys in one room, girls in the other. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sorry there’s only one bed,” Aang said, looking sheepishly at Zuko. “It’s the cheapest option.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He looked around the small room, noting the distinct lack of furnishings. There was a nightstand with a lamp and there was the bed, and that was it. Sokka threw his duffel bag onto the bed and stretched before he collapsed onto the mattress with a satisfied sigh. “That’s alright,” Zuko said. “I can sleep on the floor.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Let me help you.” Aang opened a tiny closet next to what must have been the bathroom door and handed him an excess of pillows and blankets. They laid the bedding out on the floor at the foot of the proper bed, making a makeshift sleeping place as well as they could. “Do you think that’ll be okay?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zuko nodded. “It’s fine.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He sat on his “bed” and waited for Sokka and Aang to each get ready to sleep. Only after they were showered and changed did he disappear into the bathroom, backpack in tow. He looked at himself in the grimy mirror and started to remove his bandages.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>These were people that barely knew him, and had still decided to extend a kindness to him far greater than he would ever receive from any of his remaining family members, save his Uncle. He had started the day as he would any other, and he ended it in a crappy motel on the side of a road that led to his once-enemies’ grandmother. He was extremely out of place and he knew it, gods, he <em> felt </em> it, and he was sure the others did as well, but they chose to bring him along anyway. They hadn’t made fun of him, they hadn’t left him there in that gas station convenience store, and hadn’t acquiesced to any hypothetical plea of his out of pity; they had offered to take him along on their summer trip out of the goodness of their hearts. They asked him if he wanted to come because they were concerned for his well-being and because they thought it would be <em> fun </em>. They had seen him, and they wanted to take him with them. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He stared at his reflection, unbandaged and bloody and his face broke. He truly collapsed for the first time that day; he gripped the sink so hard his knuckles turned white, and he cried.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i vomited out 1.5k a night for two straight weeks for this and now my brain? liquid.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Saturday</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zuko’s body ached. His joints were stiff and they complained when he stretched, but that pain was nothing compared to the liquid fire that shot through the nerves in his face. He sat up with a groan, moving to rub his eyes but was startled when he touched gauze, not skin. His eyes blinked blearily open, taking in his surroundings through the dim light. </p><p> </p><p>Sunlight was only just beginning to filter in through the thin curtains hanging over the window. He was on the floor in a tangled mess of sheets and blankets, accounting for the soreness of his body. He glanced up and heard snores coming from the bed above him, and was startled when the bathroom door opened.</p><p> </p><p>“Good morning!” Aang greeted him cheerily. He looked wide awake, eyes bright as he smiled down at him from where he stood. And everything came flooding back to Zuko.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Zuko had been in the kitchen for just a moment. He went in to find something for lunch, but he almost considered turning around when he saw his father had had the same idea; he was standing over the stove, cooking something. Nevertheless, he ventured into the room in search of something to eat and offered a curt nod of recognition to his father, which was not returned.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> He had been searching through their pantry when his phone chimed. He took it out to check the notification quickly, and he must have made some sort of responsive noise because he caught his father’s attention. “Zuko,” he said, his voice deep and commanding. “Let me see.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Why?” he asked before he could stop himself, turning around to face his father, who was still standing over the stove. “It’s just a text.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Let me see,” he repeated. It was not a request.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Reluctantly, Zuko unlocked his phone and gave it to his father. He saw his eyes scan through lines of data, reading through his internet history and text messages. When he saw the glow of the messaging app reflected in his father’s eyes, he began to worry. As he kept scrolling, Zuko took a step back unconsciously, knowing exactly what he would find if he were to search too far. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Zuko,” his father started, his voice eerily quiet. “Who, exactly, is Jet?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Then Zuko remembered the pain, the walking, the blistering sun, the looks from the patrons of the convenience store, the inquisition by his fellow teenagers. Sokka had invited him to come along with him and Aang’s friends on their trip to visit his grandmother. He had accepted their kindness and agreed to come along, and so he found himself sleeping on the floor of a dingy motel room. Yesterday he had been cast out, but this morning he didn’t find himself alone.</p><p> </p><p>“Zuko?” Aang asked, kneeling in front of him. “You’re shaking.”</p><p> </p><p>He shook his head quickly. “I’m fine.”</p><p> </p><p>“Let me help! I’ll get you some water.” Aang stood up and whacked Sokka’s leg as he walked by the bed. “Wake up.”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka muttered unintelligible nonsense in response, rolling over. Aang thrust a glass of water in Zuko’s hands, which he sipped begrudgingly. He grumbled his thanks and pulled out his phone– no messages, no calls. He ignored the weird pang the empty screen sent through his chest as he stood and stretched again. </p><p> </p><p>Aang beamed at him as he began to bustle around the room, putting his things away in between attempts to wake Sokka, while Zuko took the opportunity to slip into the bathroom. In redressing his wound, he found that both his bruise and his burn looked even worse. He bandaged his eye as quickly as he could, and though he was glad to see that the swelling had gone down enough that he could open it, he found that his vision was a little fuzzy. He pushed the anxiety about it away as he changed and returned to the main room where Sokka had finally dragged himself out of bed. </p><p> </p><p>“Morning,” Sokka yawned, meandering his way into the bathroom Zuko had just vacated, barely sparing him a glance.</p><p> </p><p>“Sokka’s not much of a morning person,” Aang giggled. “I’m sorry it’s so early, but the motel breakfast is only free until eight.” Zuko’s stomach gave a growl in response. “Sounds like it isn’t much of an issue!”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko rolled his eyes and set about folding up the sheets he had used for a bed as neatly as he could. He was making sure what few belongings he had were tucked away safely in his backpack when Sokka emerged from the bathroom, looking significantly more awake. </p><p> </p><p>Soon they were all packed and ready to leave, and so they headed to the common area where they found the girls already waiting for them. Sokka practically began to drool when he saw the waffle maker, Suki dissolving into laughter when she noticed his expression. To be fair, Zuko himself loaded his plate with as much as he possibly could; the hunger from not eating much the day before had caught up with him. It wasn’t long until they were piling into Sokka’s van and setting out on the road. </p><p> </p><p>Zuko was in the middle this time, sitting next to Suki, who gave him a polite smile but didn’t have much to say. He checked his phone again, which was still devoid of any notifications. Aang must have seen in the rear-view mirror, because he turned around in the passenger seat to look at him. “Hey, Zuko! Since you’re going to be with us, can I put my number in your phone?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>He blinked, a little surprised, but gave Aang his phone. “Sure.”</p><p> </p><p>“Geez, Zuko, your phone’s about to die!” he laughed. “Text me so I can send your number to everyone else.”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko took it back and frowned when he saw his battery was down to twelve percent. “I don’t have a charger,” he said. </p><p> </p><p>Aang and Sokka shared a look in the front seat, though they said nothing. The other occupants of the car chatted amongst themselves, but Zuko wasn’t really sure how to enter the conversation. Luckily, he was saved from the torture of small talk when Katara spoke up from behind him, “Sokka, what are you doing? We don’t take an exit for another few hours.”</p><p> </p><p>He just laughed, steering the car off of the highway. “Don’t worry! We’re just making a quick pit stop. There’s a shopping center ahead over here,” he answered. </p><p> </p><p>“A shopping center?” Toph asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Zuko needs a phone charger!” Aang explained.</p><p> </p><p>He looked away from the window, surprised. “What? I can just borrow someone else’s,” he said.</p><p> </p><p>“Ridiculous,” Sokka said. “The man thinks he can survive without a phone charger. You’re very bold in assuming anyone here would be willing to share. We might be nicer than your other friends, but we, too, are vulnerable to human greed.”</p><p> </p><p>Suki laughed at him, trying to hide it for Zuko’s sake, but the effort was fruitless. “Besides, you need more than whatever you have in that little backpack,” she told him in between giggles. “It’ll be a nice stop! You can get a toothbrush or something.”</p><p> </p><p>He raised his eyebrow. “How do you know I didn’t pack my toothbrush?”</p><p> </p><p>Toph leaned forward. “Did you?”</p><p> </p><p>He huffed, crossing his arms. “No.”</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s get this man a toothbrush!” Sokka announced. “I prefer my men <em> minty fresh.</em>”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko rolled his eyes, but smiled despite himself. </p>
<hr/><p>He was grateful for his new friends, he really was, but he could’ve done without the part where they shoved him into a Target dressing room with his arms full of ridiculous clothes that they’d picked out for him. They were waiting outside the room, ensuring that he couldn’t escape, and so he had no choice but to dress himself in the bright yellow floral button-down and camo print cargo shorts they gave him. </p><p> </p><p>He opened the door to the dressing room with a scowl. Sokka immediately burst out laughing at him, while some of the others at least had the decency to laugh quietly. “There’s no way I’m buying any of this,” Zuko said, gesturing to himself. “I look like a dad at the Grand Canyon.”</p><p> </p><p>Toph smirked at him. “Well, I think you look <em> great</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>He almost asked what was wrong with her before he remembered her lack of sight. “Your opinion doesn’t count,” he snapped. He was worried that would offend her for a moment, but when she laughed at him, he couldn’t help but chuckle as well. </p><p> </p><p>They made him suffer through a few more atrocious outfit reveals, but they soon lost interest and left him to find clothes more suitable for a real person (though Aang did grab the yellow button-down for himself). They helped him collect other essential items (Sokka gave him a toothbrush and made him promise to use it with a wink), and Katara had ended up dragging him into the pharmacy area.</p><p> </p><p>“What?” he asked, but Katara ignored him. She strolled through the aisle, bending down to look at the products, picking some up and putting them down again. “What are you looking for?”</p><p> </p><p>She shushed him and continued searching until she apparently found what she was looking for. She turned to him with a bright smile and shoved a first-aid kit into his arms, proclaiming, “this!”</p><p> </p><p>He held the little red box in his hands, confused. “What do I need this for? I already have bandages and stuff.”</p><p> </p><p>Katara rolled her eyes. “Not enough, I’m sure.” She turned it over to the back, where there was a label outlining the contents of the kit. “This has everything I’m sure you bought and more, and it comes with painkillers. That’s what I was looking for, you’ll definitely need to take those for a while. It’s cheaper if you buy a kit than everything individually.”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko just stared at her, baffled. “Thanks,” he said after a quiet moment.</p><p> </p><p>“Sokka used to get a ton of cuts and scrapes when we were kids. Our Dad wasn’t always around and we didn’t have Mom to take care of us, so I learned a thing or two.” She smiled at him again. “Trust me. I know my stuff.”</p><p> </p><p>“I do trust you,” he said, and he was surprised that he meant it. Katara went to return to the rest of the group, but he stopped her with a light touch to the arm. “And...I’m sorry. You know. For being a jerk.”</p><p> </p><p>She was quiet for a moment and he began to worry that she was going to blow up at him (as she so often had in past years), but her face melted into a smile. “Thank you. I’m glad we can be friends, now.”</p><p> </p><p>After all was done and paid for, they were back on the road in less than an hour. Katara helped him stuff the things he’d bought into his backpack, and what before had been sad and empty was now practically bursting at the seams. Aang begged Zuko to charge his phone while Sokka lamented that Zuko had refused to model the hideous zebra-striped shirt he had picked out for him. He laughed when Toph cracked a joke or threw a good-natured insult. He and Suki rolled their eyes together in response to Sokka and Katara’s bickering. He looked around at these people who had become his closest friends, the only people he had, in less than a day.</p><p> </p><p>As he watched the sunset paint the sky orange and pink and blue and yellow, he smiled to himself. He would never be grateful about what had happened the day before, but it did give him an opportunity to have more fun in a single day than he’d had in the entirety of the previous year. He had finally been able to charge his phone and therefore could find no excuse for why he hadn’t heard any notifications, but he pushed the thought away. He shouldn’t be hoping a family who would scar and reject him would call.</p><p> </p><p>They neared a small town around the time everyone in the car had begun to complain they were hungry. Katara pulled them into the parking lot of a tiny restaurant and they all clambered inside, watching the hostess’s face drop when they asked for a table for six rowdy teenagers. </p><p> </p><p>Zuko was still quiet, not entirely comfortable with bringing up stories of his own to share as his new friends did so easily, but he was happy to listen and respond. He felt like he was truly part of something for the first time in his life; sure, he had friends before, but they were never so genial in each other’s presence. His friends were his sister’s friends, and they never would have <em> considered </em> taking lighthearted cross-country road trips together. Their group gatherings were tense and filled with passive aggressive jokes that were meant more to sting than to amuse. To an outsider, they seemed one wrong move away from a fistfight. </p><p> </p><p>“I can’t wait to see your Gran Gran again and have her homemade biscuits,” Aang said to Sokka, practically drooling at the thought despite the full plate of food in front of him. </p><p> </p><p>Suki had a far off look in her eyes. “I would eat <em> anything </em> your Gran Gran put in front of me,” she agreed. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Gods, Mai, you’re off today. Couldn’t stop being the perfect doll for your parents in time for lunch with us?” Azula had teased once, her air of nonchalance not exactly covering the malicious glint in her eye.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “I’d rather be a doll than a puppet,” Mai had responded, her voice carefully flat and even. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Even an outsider could tell how much these people loved each other. Simply being around them put Zuko at ease; he didn’t have to worry about any of his weaknesses or insecurities being called out into the open, nor did he have to prepare for yet another friendly argument that didn’t seem all that friendly. Toph asked if she could have a few of his french fries, and he carefully placed them in her hands so she could find them. He smiled to himself. These people wouldn’t hurt him.</p><p> </p><p>They paid and left when they were done, but they didn’t drive far before they found a hotel to settle into for the night at the edge of town. Katara left to rent two rooms as Zuko found an ATM to withdraw money so he could contribute to the bill. They split off once more, boys and girls, and this time the energy was far more positive as he joined Aang and Sokka in their room. </p><p> </p><p>Again, there was one bed, only big enough for two people to share. Zuko found the closet with the extra linens and began to make a bed as he had done the previous night. “We can trade off,” Sokka said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “You don’t have to sleep on the floor every night. We can rotate who takes the floor and who shares the bed.”</p><p> </p><p>“If you’re comfortable with that,” Aang added. </p><p> </p><p>Zuko almost laughed. Sharing a bed with another boy? He could almost imagine what his father would say to that. “I’m alright down here,” he said, placing his backpack next to his makeshift sleeping place. “A lot of my friends were girls. I’m used to sleeping on the floor.”</p><p> </p><p>“Were?” Aang asked. “Are you not friends anymore?”</p><p> </p><p>He sat cross-legged on the carpet and leaned back on his hands. “Not really.” Sokka and Aang looked down at him, interest and curiosity shining bright in their eyes. “They were more my sister’s friends than they were mine. And I don’t get along so well with my sister these days.” He looked away. “Haven’t for a long time, really. I’m still close with Mai, though.” Neither of his sister’s friends had been close with her since Mai admitted her feelings for Ty Lee and they’d gotten together, which only fueled Azula’s tendency to take out her anger on Zuko, but he kept that to himself. </p><p> </p><p>“No wonder you’ve calmed down,” Sokka said. “There’s something off about your sister.”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko grimaced. “Yeah, sorry. For, you know, everything I’ve done to you guys. I can’t blame Azula for everything, but she does tend to make things worse.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s alright!” Aang smiled. “<em>We’re </em> friends, now.”</p><p> </p><p>He smiled in response. Sokka cleared his throat to cut the emotional tension and they all bustled around, getting ready for bed. Aang called the first shower and disappeared into the bathroom. Zuko was sorting out his new first-aid kit when his phone lit up with an incoming call from his sister. “Speak of the devil,” he muttered to himself as he declined. </p><p> </p><p>When it was his turn in the bathroom, he quickly downed one of the painkillers that had come in the kit. He removed all the wrappings from his face, wincing when he saw that the gauze was still coming away bloodstained in places. After he was freshly showered, he dressed and set about the task of carefully applying antibiotic ointment to his wound, using the stronger one he’d gotten in his kit. He frowned as he waved his hand in front of his left eye; he could see, but his vision wasn’t exactly clear. He closed his good eye and found that his vision was blurry enough that he couldn’t quite make out his face in the mirror.</p><p> </p><p>He swore; something in his eye must have been damaged when his father had held him down. He looked at himself and cursed the man. The yellowing bruise under his right eye was nasty enough, but the mangled mess of flesh that the left side of his face had become was <em> ghastly</em>. His father had never set a hand on him before yesterday, and if this was what he could do to him the first time he decided to, he was more than glad he’d gotten out of that house. </p><p> </p><p>He was staring at his butchered reflection, lost in thought, when he heard a startled gasp. He saw through the mirror that the door was open and he whirled around to see Sokka standing there behind the narrow opening. </p><p> </p><p>“Sorry!” Sokka squeaked, the shocked expression on his face melting into a sheepish one. “I went out to see the girls and came back and the door was cracked! I thought you were done!”</p><p> </p><p>“Sokka!” he yelled, face screwing up in anger, which only pulled at his wounds and sent pain ricocheting through his body.</p><p> </p><p>He blinked, but he was unable to tear his eyes away from Zuko’s face. “That looks–”</p><p> </p><p>“Get the <em>FUCK</em> OUT!” he cut him off, slamming the door shut and pushing Sokka back. He buried his hands in his hair and slid down until he was on the floor, curled up against the door. </p><p> </p><p>The stares from other people at the sight of his bruise and bandages were bad enough, but the way Sokka’s gaze had been fixed on his face was worse. He knew it was hideous; he had to look at it in the mirror every time he redressed the wound, but hearing his gasp and seeing his horrified expression made his stomach turn.</p><p> </p><p>“Fuck,” Zuko whispered to himself.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i have the whole thing written so don’t worry about me abandoning this i’m just v dramatic and need time to edit</p><p>ALSO I DONT LIKE JET.......I JUST NEEDED A BOY</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Sunday</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>im postin this early 4 u specifically stellanie</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zuko’s head was pounding. It was as if Rocky Balboa was practicing for the world heavyweight championship on his skull, sending a stabbing ache throbbing through his head every other second. He groaned and rolled over, hoping the pain would stop, but it only got worse. There was a horrible ringing sound, deafening to his tired ears, but after a few moments it showed mercy and stopped. He settled back into his pillow, pulling the blanket more comfortably over his shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>Then the ringing began again. He yanked the blanket over his head, praying for a few more moments of peace. He was deadly tired; he wasn’t sure how long it had taken him to fall asleep the previous night. He had been so feebly curled up on the bathroom floor, his own fingers pulling at his hair in anger and anxiety, ignoring Aang when he knocked. He had ignored Aang’s worried glance and Sokka’s attempt at another apology, after he finally exited the bathroom, instead opting to wrap himself in his blankets and try to sleep before Aang had even brushed his teeth, not that sleep had found him.</p><p> </p><p>The blaring sound continued despite Zuko’s desperate wishes, but before he could properly react, his body was smacked by a pillow. His eyes blinked open in shock and he shoved the pillow away, sitting up to look at the occupants of the bed. Both Aang and Sokka were awake, but Sokka looked far more irritated. “Hey, sleeping beauty,” he rasped, voice rough with sleep. “Turn your phone off! <em>Some</em> <em>of us</em> aren’t ready to get up before the sun does.”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko glanced at the window and saw that, yes, it was still dark outside. He felt around for his phone and quickly switched the ringer off, saying nothing as he laid back down, curling away from the bed. He opened his phone and saw that he had three missed calls; they were all from his Uncle. His heart suddenly seized with longing and fear, but he did his best to ignore it as he locked his phone again and tried to get back to sleep.</p><p> </p><p>He’d luckily been able to drift off again for a few more precious moments of unconsciousness before Aang’s alarm went off and they truly had to wake up. They all dressed and packed quietly, the tension in the room palpable. He could feel Aang’s concern and Sokka’s desire to talk to him about what he saw last night, but luckily he seemed hostile enough that neither decided to approach him.</p><p> </p><p>Zuko was quiet at breakfast, but the others must have taken it as residual sleepiness since none of them called him on it. Sokka and Aang immediately melded into the conversation, laughing and talking with their friends as if nothing had happened. His phone lit up with a text from his sister of all people and another missed call from his Uncle, but he swiped the notifications away.</p><p> </p><p>When they’d loaded the van and got on the road, he found himself in the back with Aang. Thankfully for Zuko he was quiet, but he could feel the glances the younger boy would throw at him every now and then. Zuko himself was content to look out the window and sulk, deleting notifications as they appeared on his phone. </p><p> </p><p>After an hour of accepting his silence, Aang spoke up, his voice quiet. “Zuko?”</p><p> </p><p>He turned to face him, but he couldn’t erase the glower from his face. “What?”</p><p> </p><p>“What’s wrong?” he asked. Aang had taken off his seatbelt and was sitting cross-legged, facing Zuko. He was wearing a little frown of his own but his expression was open, conveying his sincerity and worry. </p><p> </p><p>Zuko glanced at the other occupants of the car. Sokka and Suki were laughing amongst themselves in the front seat, and Katara was reading Toph something off her phone in front of them; they weren’t paying attention. “I thought you would’ve pieced together what happened last night,” he said, cringing when his voice came out harsher than he intended. “What I mean is– you heard, you were there.” </p><p> </p><p>Aang nodded. “Sokka saw you when you were changing your bandages.”</p><p> </p><p>He averted his eyes in self-consciousness after Aang’s gaze had drifted across his face. His bruised cheek had looked even more nasty that morning, if possible. It was becoming colors he didn’t know a bruise could be, but the swelling had at least gone down completely. “Yeah,” he confirmed.</p><p> </p><p>“Why’d that upset you so bad?”</p><p> </p><p>His head whipped around to look at him again, his brows raised and mouth open in incredulousness. “<em>Why</em>?” He huffed out a rough laugh. “It’s bad enough that everyone can see <em> this</em>,” he gestured to the bruise, “and there’s this giant bandage on half my goddamn face. Then he saw what was <em> under </em> it.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang was quiet as he thought, and although his eyes still roamed Zuko’s face, he somehow got the impression that it was to read his expression instead of to ogle his injuries. “You didn’t want anyone to see because you’re ashamed of it,” he said with a tone of finality. </p><p> </p><p>“It’s revolting,” Zuko said. “I’m not ashamed. It’s just a disgusting wound. I’m the only one who should have to see it.”</p><p> </p><p>“You want to hide it because you’re upset about how you got it. You’re ashamed, Zuko. But you shouldn’t be. What happened to you wasn’t your fault.”</p><p> </p><p>It was Zuko’s turn to be quiet as he contemplated Aang’s words. His bruise would fade but there was no doubt that the burn would leave a terrible scar. Unless he planned on taking a page out of the Phantom of the Opera’s book and wearing a conveniently shaped mask for the rest of his life, he would have to show other people his disfigurement once it healed. He didn’t want other people to know what his father had done to him when he himself had barely been able to come to terms with it, and he definitely didn’t want them to know <em> why </em> his father had done it. Now, while it was healing, was the only time he really had to hide it, for it to be a horrendous secret that only he knew the true extent of, but Sokka had ruined that for him. He wanted to be the only one to bear the shame of it for as long as he could. “I guess I am,” he admitted, realizing the truth of it at the same time. “But you don’t even know what happened.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang shook his head. “That doesn’t matter. It had something to do with your dad kicking you out, and that’s all I need to know. You don’t deserve this. No one does.”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko looked out the window, overwhelmed. Aang was just a boy; he was even younger than his sister, yet here he was, giving him the advice and compassion of an old man. He was incredibly perceptive and the limits of his altruism were boundless. “You’re really wise for a kid,” he said, glad his voice was even. “Thank you,” he said, quieter.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course!” Aang exclaimed. “What are friends for?”</p><p> </p><p>“What’s going on back there?” Toph demanded suddenly. “Why does Aang get to be friendly with Zuko?”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko leaned forward to place a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t be so quick to call middle row next time.”</p><p> </p><p>She took his hand and yanked on his arm (and he most definitely did <em> not </em> yelp in surprise), pulling him close. “Maybe you should anticipate my wants and demand Katara’s spot next time,” she replied, grinning widely. </p><p> </p><p>Katara rolled her eyes. “Toph, let him go. You’re going to dislocate his shoulder.” Zuko was released and was, mercifully, able to fall back into his seat. “Zuko!” she blurted after only a second’s pause. “Are you a fan of early 2000s pop music?”</p><p> </p><p>“I was alive then, so, I guess?” he answered, unsure where she was going with this.</p><p> </p><p>“Sokka!” Katara called. “Put on that playlist of yours!”</p><p> </p><p>“Hell yeah, sister!” he responded, digging his phone out of his pocket and thrusting it at Suki. “I thought it was getting a little quiet in here!”</p><p> </p><p>They listened and sang at the top of their lungs, reveling in the nostalgia that united them all. Zuko even joined in and couldn’t help smiling back when Aang and Katara both beamed at him, practically glowing with happiness. They laughed and teased each other and shared memories all the way until Sokka pulled into a roadside restaurant for dinner. Over their meal, Sokka lamented that many of the hit songs of their childhoods had been produced by one-hit wonders, which started another conversation about what their favorite songs had been when they were little. When Toph had mentioned fun. Sokka took it upon himself to serenade their whole group (and, by extension, the whole restaurant) with his own rendition of their song.</p><p> </p><p>When they were done, Katara had taken over driving and Zuko found himself sitting next to Sokka. The tension between them had practically disappeared, but his earlier conversation with Aang inspired a confidence in him. “Sokka,” he started, quietly, so hopefully they wouldn’t be heard over the other conversations in the car. “I’m, y’know, sorry about yelling at you last night. I just…” he trailed off, not really sure how to explain.</p><p> </p><p>Luckily, Sokka just offered him a knowing smile. “It’s alright. I know you were upset.”</p><p> </p><p>He nodded. “I shouldn’t have been so harsh, though. It wasn’t your fault.”</p><p> </p><p>Something flashed through his face and for a moment Zuko was worried that he’d said something wrong, but then Sokka was reaching out a hand, trembling only just enough to be noticeable, and set it on Zuko’s knee. “It’s okay. I’m just glad you’re feeling better.”</p><p> </p><p>He froze, unprepared for the contact and unsure how to deal with Sokka’s kindness and understanding. “Um, yeah, me too.”</p><p> </p><p>“Good.”</p><p> </p><p>“So, we’re okay?” He glanced down to Sokka’s hand, which was still resting on his leg, confused.</p><p> </p><p>Sokka took his hand back as if it had been burned and gave him a smile so wide it could only be borne of anxiety. “Yeah, dude! Of course! I can think of ways to mess with you without worrying again!”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko rolled his eyes but smiled to himself, feeling content that he had mended all his broken bridges. He was content to leave everything else behind him, there in that car, not a care in the world as to where exactly they were going or how long it took to get there. When Katara exclaimed excitedly and took an exit that would take them into a small park, he felt just as enthusiastic about the impromptu adventure as the others.</p><p> </p><p>They clambered out of the car and stretched in the gravel parking lot. There were only a few other cars, thankfully, so it seemed they would have the park to themselves. Katara pointed to a plaque under the entrance sign. “It says that this park has the oldest tree in two hundred miles!” she read.</p><p> </p><p>“Big boy,” Aang noted. </p><p> </p><p>“Wanna go see it?” she asked, practically bouncing on her toes in excitement.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh sure, I’d love to see a giant tree,” Toph said.</p><p> </p><p>“Great! Wait.” Katara rolled her eyes. “C’mon, Toph.”</p><p> </p><p>She just laughed and told hold of Sokka’s arm. “You know I can’t resist.” They set out on the trail, which was thankfully fairly short. There was a small clearing with, truly, a giant tree in the center. It looked hundreds of years old; the trunk was thicker than their car and too many branches to count spread upwards into the sky. Katara and Aang marveled at it, reading all the informational signs posted around the clearing. </p><p> </p><p>The ground was uneven with how far the tree’s roots spread out, some breaking through the earth here and there, covered with grass and flowers. The whole space really was quite beautiful; even though it was an unnecessary stop, Zuko was glad they decided to come. </p><p> </p><p>He was walking around the clearing, not really reading any information about the tree (the Big Boy, as Aang and Toph kept calling it), just taking in the serenity of the nature around him. He couldn’t hear the roar of cars on the highway from their position in the small forest; it was almost silent but for the footsteps and voices of his friends and the lilting calls of birds as they flew from tree to tree. He was so absorbed in the stillness around him that he didn’t watch where he put his feet and tripped over one of the protruding tree roots. He prepared himself for a collision with the ground that didn’t come– Sokka was there, holding Zuko’s arm in a vice grip. He hauled him back up with a laugh.</p><p> </p><p>“Careful!” He righted him and gestured down at the ground. “These roots are everywhere. If I wasn’t so knight-in-shining-armor-y, you would’ve eaten it!”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko rolled his eyes at him. “<em>Knight-in-shining-armor- </em>y?”</p><p> </p><p>“Of course! I am but your humble servant, Prince Zuko.” Sokka knelt in a mocking bow, to which Zuko flicked him on the head. Sokka laughed as he righted himself and wandered away, leaving Zuko standing in between a maze of tree roots with a blush on his face, their conversation reminding him of one he had overheard before. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> It was back in high school, back when Zuko and his now-friends were only able to maintain a respectful tolerance for each other. They’d all been in the courtyard during lunch, Zuko sitting a few tables away from Sokka and the others, though he was absentmindedly watching them.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Sokka and Suki had been working on some homework together in between bites of their lunch. Suki had been twirling her pen around in her fingers when it flew out of her hand, launching it across the courtyard, landing in a thick hedge in one of the planters. Sokka had hopped up immediately, practically flying across the pavement to scramble over the concrete edges of the planter. He reached out as best as he could to grab the pen without trampling any of the smaller plants and Zuko found his eyes slowly trailing over his form; his long legs as they stretched to hold him over the planter, the muscles in his arms standing out as he reached, how sharp his jaw had gotten over the years.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> He retrieved the pen and shouted his triumph, promptly returning to Suki’s side. He knelt in front of Suki and offered her the pen, making her giggle. “My hero,” she’d said. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “But of course!” he replied. “You will want for nothing while I am in your service, my Queen.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Zuko had watched the lines of his shirt move over the muscles in Sokka’s back as he stood and took his spot next to Suki once more. He’d never really noticed how handsome Sokka had become, but now he watched closely as Sokka rested the straight edge of that jaw in his hand from afar, ignoring the weird pang of anger that tried to rise in his chest when he leaned in close to Suki.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>He watched Sokka now as he was making Aang and Suki laugh by attempting to climb a nearby tree. He’d filled out well since those lunches in the courtyard. He was taller but less lanky, his arms more toned, jawline sharp enough to look sculpted. Lines moved under his skin as he tried to scale the tree, <span>betraying how powerful those muscles had become, even as he failed.</span> Zuko only caught himself staring when he was shocked out of his stupor by Katara exclaiming over a lizard.</p><p> </p><p>Soon enough they were ready to leave and Sokka offered Toph his arm again, making Zuko think that the knight-in-shining-armor descriptor wasn’t all that far off. He caught up with the group and followed them on their way out, quiet as his mind was still reeling from the memory and its implications. They got back in the car and soon they were on their merry way, only stopping briefly for a dinner on-the-go. </p><p> </p><p>Zuko ignored a few more texts during the trip from the park to their next hotel, finding that he was surprisingly tired from the day and lacked the energy to deal with anyone but the people who were already around him. They said their goodnights to each other as the boys and girls split for the evening, and Zuko found he could’ve collapsed on the floor right there and slept. </p><p> </p><p>“Are you sure you don’t want to trade out who gets to sleep on the bed?” Aang asked him, sitting on the edge of a desk. “You look really tired and I’m sure you’ll sleep better than on the floor.”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko punctuated his statement with a yawn. “Only if you don’t mind,” he agreed.</p><p> </p><p>“Great!” Aang took Zuko’s bag and threw it on the bed next to his. </p><p> </p><p>Sokka huffed. “Why am I automatically the one who has to sleep on the floor?”</p><p> </p><p>“Because you kick and Zuko doesn’t deserve that,” Aang supplied quickly. </p><p> </p><p>“I do not!”</p><p> </p><p>While they were squabbling, Zuko took the opportunity to disappear into the bathroom with his first-aid kit. He set about removing the old bandages and tossing them away, pleased when he saw that the gauze was relatively clean of blood and other fluids. His burn was still blistered and the skin was peeling off in some places, but his bruise was at least beginning to heal properly. </p><p> </p><p>He heard a quiet knock at the door before it cracked open just the tiniest bit, making Zuko frown. “What?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Zuko,” Sokka’s voice said. “Can I come in?”</p><p> </p><p>“Why?”</p><p> </p><p>“Can I?”</p><p> </p><p>He was quiet for a long moment, recalling his earlier conversation with Aang. He knew Sokka meant well but he still didn’t want anyone else to see what he looked like; he didn’t want them to see what his father had done to him for finding out who he was. In that way, he had brought this upon himself, and he didn’t want anyone else to have to bear the burden of that knowledge. </p><p> </p><p>“Zuko?”</p><p> </p><p>“...Fine.” Sokka came in and shut the door behind him quickly. Zuko saw him in the mirror, but he didn’t turn to face him. “What do you want?”</p><p> </p><p>“Let me help.”</p><p> </p><p>He was shocked, and even though he didn’t turn around, he was sure Sokka saw his expression in the mirror. “Why? I can handle it by myself. I don’t need your help.”</p><p> </p><p>“I want to.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s really bad, Sokka.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know.”</p><p> </p><p>There were another few moments of silence before Zuko turned around, biting his lip in anticipation and anxiety. But Sokka didn’t gasp, he didn’t cry out; he said nothing. Zuko blinked stupidly, unsure of what to say, but Sokka just grabbed an extra washcloth and wet it before handing it to him. </p><p><br/>“It’s better to get the dead skin off with something it’ll catch on,” he explained. Zuko nodded shakily and turned to the mirror to wash his wound as Sokka instructed him. He quietly listened and followed Sokka’s advice as he told him what to do without a complaint or edgewise comment, the two of them nearly silent until the wound was ready to be rebandaged. “The wound is pretty bad. Why didn’t you go to a doctor or a clinic?”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko shook his head. “I don’t know. I just wanted to get out of there so badly, I...I didn’t really stop to think about it. I just needed to leave.” He let Sokka secure the bandages, holding them in place while he wrapped gauze and surgical tape around his head. “They would’ve asked questions, called my dad, involved the police...I don’t know. This is easier. For everyone.”</p><p> </p><p>“Not for you,” Sokka said, but he didn’t press the issue further. </p><p> </p><p>When they were all done, he looked at himself in the mirror once more. The wound felt cleaner and the dressings were more secure than he had managed by himself. “Thanks,” he muttered, refusing to look Sokka in the eye.</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t have to thank me,” he replied, giving him a smile more gentle than he had ever seen before.</p><p> </p><p>Later that night, when he was curled up in a real bed and his mind was on the precipice of surrendering to the siren call of sleep, he found that he felt more safe there, in a hotel room in the middle of nowhere with two teenagers, than he had since his mother was alive.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>don't roast me i have Very Specific memories of listening to we are young (ft. janelle monae) by fun. in the car and going home to watch book 3 reruns on tv when i was little and i had to honor that</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Monday</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>no beta we die like men</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As he slowly fought off the waves of unconsciousness, the bodily aches he had been getting accustomed to didn’t come. It was morning; he was tired, that was a given, but for once he was comfortable. He rolled over and remembered that he’d finally given in to sharing a bed. The spot next to him was empty. </p><p> </p><p>He sat up and rubbed his good eye clear of sleep, spotting Aang across the room, dressed and ready. “Hey,” Zuko croaked, catching his attention. </p><p> </p><p>Aang glanced up at him and smiled as he so often did. “Good morning, Zuko!”</p><p> </p><p>“How much farther is this place we’re going?” He swung out of bed and began to prepare for the day, nudging Sokka, who was still fast asleep, with his foot.</p><p> </p><p>The younger boy hummed. “We should get there sometime tomorrow. Why,” he laughed, “are you getting tired of these hotel rooms?”</p><p> </p><p>“I can’t say I’ll miss them.” Zuko helped Aang rip the sheets off of Sokka after they were both ready. Sokka spluttered and complained, but scrambled to get all his things together when Aang threatened to leave him there in the room. </p><p> </p><p>Unfortunately this hotel had no early breakfast deals, and so they were on their way, grouchy from hunger and tiredness. Zuko found himself in the front seat with Katara behind the wheel, who seemed more than a little irritable. “Good morning,” he said. </p><p> </p><p>She grunted. </p><p> </p><p>He was quiet for another moment, feeling awkward with the general quietness in the car. “Sleep well?” he asked, trying again. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m pulling over at the first Starbucks I see,” she announced to him and everyone else. Toph and Aang cheered from the backseat, Suki and Sokka visibly perking up in front of them. </p><p> </p><p>They rode in uncomfortable silence for what felt like an hour until, like a gift sent from the gods themselves, there was a tiny Starbucks off of the main highway. They nearly climbed over each other in their eagerness to get out of the car; Sokka shoved Katara aside so he could be the first one in the door, startling the poor employees. </p><p> </p><p>The store was almost empty, thankfully, and so they were able to spread out comfortably across the couches and armchairs in the lounge area. Toph had taken to demanding a bite of Zuko’s meals, apparently, as she leaned in close to him as soon as he sat down next to her. “What’d you get?” she asked, trying to find his hands so she could grab at his food. </p><p> </p><p>“Sesame bagel,” he answered, holding it out of her reach. </p><p> </p><p>Luckily for him, she wrinkled her nose, seemingly uninterested. She took a bite out of her own muffin, chewing for a moment before she lit up again. “Did you get something to drink?”</p><p> </p><p>“Did <em> you </em> get something to drink?” he countered. </p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” she said, picking her cup off of the table. “But you could <em> see </em> that.”</p><p> </p><p>He smacked his hand into his forehead, feeling stupid. “Sorry,” he said. “I’m not used to having a blind friend.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s alright! <em> If </em> you tell me what you got.”</p><p> </p><p>He rolled his eyes to himself. “White chocolate mocha,” he said, shaking the cup to rattle it around. “Iced.”</p><p> </p><p>“Let me try it.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fine.” He pressed it into her hand when she held it out towards him. She took a sip from the straw and gave it back, her face contemplative.</p><p> </p><p>“I wouldn’t have taken you for a guy who likes sweet things. I figured you’d take your coffee black or something edgy.” Toph smirked at him and bashed her shoulder into his. “You’re not really very tough, are you?”</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe you’re just very aggressive,” he said, rubbing his shoulder. “And strong.” They finished the rest of their breakfast in amicable silence, though Toph periodically held her hand out to demand another sip of his drink. </p><p> </p><p>Seated across from them were Sokka and Suki, playfully teasing each other and laughing at inside jokes Zuko was sure went back years. Sokka’s arm was stretched out over the back of the couch but it wasn’t quite over Suki’s shoulders, though their knees were touching. “Ugh,” Sokka groaned. “I wish I’d ordered something else.”</p><p> </p><p>Suki took a bite of her scone. “You always say that. Maybe you should stop ordering the same thing every time.”</p><p> </p><p>“I forget! Why don’t you stop me?” He pouted at her, but she just rolled her eyes at him. </p><p> </p><p>“Because,” she flicked him on the head, “it’s not my job to tell you what you do and don’t like.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why not?”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko chuckled to himself. “You guys bicker like an old married couple.”</p><p> </p><p>Suki laughed and stood to throw away her empty wrappers. “Oh, Sokka would love to be an <em> anything </em> couple.”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka just huffed in response, but Zuko stared in confusion. “Are you...<em>not </em> together?” he asked dumbly. </p><p> </p><p>He shook his head. “Nope.”</p><p> </p><p>At that, Zuko felt quite stupid. “Oh, I just thought– the way you’ve always acted around each other–”</p><p> </p><p>He laughed to himself. “Calm down, it’s fine. I used to like her, but that was a bunch of years ago. I’ve accepted that it’s never going to happen, and now we’re just good friends. Besides, I did some soul searching and realized some stuff. I’ve moved onto bigger and better things. Better people, I mean.” He smiled widely at Zuko before he stood. “We better get back on the road!”</p><p> </p><p>The group headed back to the car, but Zuko was left feeling more confused than before. He guessed there was nothing explicit between the two that would make him assume that they were together, but they’d always seemed close and rather flirty. Then Sokka had smiled at him, all bright and shiny, and made Zuko’s stomach feel funny things and his head just about exploded with all the ways he could possibly read into it. He found himself in the backseat with Suki, feeling very lost and very dumb. </p><p> </p><p>“You haven't known us for very long," Suki said to him with a knowing glint in her eye. “Don't feel stupid.”</p><p> </p><p>“Too late for that,” he grumbled, to which she laughed.</p><p> </p><p>The ride was quiet, but not awkward. Aang was napping against the window in front of Suki, who was playing games on her phone. Sokka and Katara were talking quietly to each other in the front seat, too far away for Zuko to hear. </p><p> </p><p>Zuko was looking out the window absentmindedly, dismissing calls as soon as his phone began to ring. He did it automatically, not even bothering to check who kept trying to reach him (the only person who would continue to try was his Uncle, anyway), not wanting to deal with anyone but the present company, nor the fear he felt when he thought about facing <em> any </em> member of his family. </p><p> </p><p>He switched the ringer off, but the buzzing was apparently still audible to Toph’s ears. “Zuko,” she said, her voice loud in the quiet of the car, catching everyone’s attention. “What’s got you so popular?”</p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean?” he asked, leaning forward to look at her around the headrest of her seat. </p><p> </p><p>“Your phone’s always going off. I can hear it. Aren’t you ever going to answer it?”</p><p> </p><p>The comfortable silence in the car was overtaken by tension thick enough to cut in the blink of an eye, Zuko at a loss for a way to respond. He felt his face burning with the shame of what he was doing and at being caught doing it. Aang sat up to look at him, Suki’s eyes were trained on him in mild curiosity, and even Sokka and Katara were glancing back at him from the front. “No,” he said after a moment, his voice hard. </p><p> </p><p>“Why not?” </p><p> </p><p>“Toph,” Aang warned.</p><p> </p><p>Maybe it was the guilt he was ignoring, maybe he was touchy because people snooping into his personal phone habits had been what got him into this situation in the first place, but something in him snapped. “That’s none of your fucking business,” he spat. </p><p> </p><p>“Zuko–” Aang started.</p><p> </p><p>“No!” He cut him off and turned to face him. “It has nothing to do with any of you. Stay <em> out </em> of it.” With that, he turned violently back towards the window and leaned his face in his palm, wishing for the first time that he truly was anywhere else. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> His father was never very fond of Zuko, but he gave up all pretenses of fatherly love after Zuko’s mother died. His father wasn’t an overly caring man by any extent, but Zuko thought he had gotten over his mother’s death more quickly than he should have. When Zuko was still grieving months after the accident and his father said that he should have been in the car alongside his mother when she was hit, he was shocked. He was used to cruel comments and hostility from his father, but he’d never told him anything so undeniably wicked.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Zuko had been stunned, unsure how to respond, so he did the only thing he could; he called his Uncle and asked if he could spend the night with him. His father only teased him further for running into the arms of his “crybaby” Uncle but Zuko ignored him. It seemed the only person his father hated more than Zuko himself was his brother Iroh. His son and Zuko’s cousin had died when he was young and Iroh never stopped grieving him, which was perfectly understandable to Zuko, but his father viewed his continuing love as an unnecessary weakness. His Uncle had taken him home then, back when he lived in the same town. He felt safe with his Uncle who loved him, away from his father and his sister who were always against him. </em>
</p><p> </p><p> His Uncle was far closer to a father than his real one was, and Zuko knew that his love for him was returned. His Uncle had even told him once that he was just as much of a son to him as his real one had been, and Zuko had nearly broken down and cried in front of him then. Looking back on it, he should have, and he should have begged his Uncle to take him in. </p><p> </p><p>A few years ago Iroh had moved to a different town where he had opened his own business selling his homemade teas, leaving Zuko alone in a house with people who did not and would not love him. He missed his Uncle dearly, and if the twenty missed calls and ignored messages were any indication, his Uncle was worried about him, but Zuko was unable to face the possibility of disappointing his Uncle. For how often it happened, he should be used to it, but Zuko couldn’t handle being rejected by anyone else.</p><p> </p><p>Zuko had long since accepted the truth about himself, but that didn’t mean he was comfortable having other people see him for who he really was, especially since the last person to see his truth had burnt his face and sent him running. There was no guarantee of acceptance or love from his own family, and there certainly wasn’t from a group of peers who he’d only befriended in the past few days. He curled into himself the best he could and bit his lip to keep himself grounded.</p><p> </p><p>He pulled a jacket out of his backpack and put it on, pulling up the hood. He turned his phone all the way off and leaned against the window and shut his eyes, hoping he could fall asleep and wake up in a reality where the last five minutes hadn’t occurred. It was difficult between his racing thoughts and the bumpiness of the road, but he managed to slip into an uncomfortable doze.</p>
<hr/><p>When he woke, he was surprised to find Aang in the backseat with him instead of Suki. He stretched as best as he could, his neck giving a satisfying crack. The noise caught Aang’s attention; he turned to him, a hesitant smile on his face. “Hey,” he greeted.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey,” Zuko said, his voice thick and gravely with sleep. He rubbed his eye and sat up straight, noting that the seating arrangements had switched around during his nap and everyone but him had a soda cup, no doubt from a fast food drive-thru. “How long was I out?”</p><p> </p><p>“Just a few hours.” Aang glanced in front of him at Toph (who was now sitting in the front) before he met Zuko’s eyes. “Are you feeling any better?”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko’s stomach fell when he remembered how he had jumped down their throats earlier, his ears burning with the shame of it. “Um, yeah, I think.” It was quiet between them, but it thankfully went unnoticed by everyone else, who seemed to be engaged in a heated conversation about something or other. “I’m...sorry. You know. For yelling.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang smiled at him again. “It’s okay. I think you should apologize to Toph later. She didn’t mean to upset you.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair and knocking his hood off. “I didn’t mean to freak out. I just, I don’t know, it’s kind of touchy. My family.” </p><p> </p><p>Aang, that angel, just nodded. “I understand. And I’m sure Toph will understand, too. Even if you mess up, we’re not going to leave you on the side of the road.”</p><p> </p><p>He gave a weak laugh at that, giving him a playful shove when Aang dissolved into giggles at his own joke. It wasn’t too long before they stopped for dinner. Before entering the restaurant, Zuko took Toph aside gently. “Hey, Toph,” he started uneasily.</p><p> </p><p>Toph blinked at him, a little surprised. “Yeah?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry for snapping at you earlier. I know you meant well.”</p><p> </p><p>She grinned. “That’s alright. I’m sorry I was so blunt.”</p><p> </p><p>“So...we’re good?” </p><p> </p><p>“Of course!” She punched him square in the arm, Zuko yelping in shock. “Get used to it. That’s just how I show affection. Now take me inside! I’m hungry.”</p><p> </p><p>Over dinner Zuko was able to melt into the normal flow of conversation they’d established over the past few days. He talked with Katara about college plans, helped Toph steal food off of his plate, and rolled his eyes when Sokka said something stupid. He laughed and talked and smiled, and he thought about what Aang said and how he really meant it; these people wouldn’t abandon him. They wouldn’t leave him on the side of the road, they wouldn’t tell him to get lost, and they certainly wouldn’t leave him without a place to sleep at night. They were good, kind people, and knowing that they had begun to truly care about him in such a small amount of time enveloped him in a warm, fuzzy feeling he would never admit to. </p><p> </p><p>They found a hotel that was close and pulled in for the night. It was another day of doing next to nothing, but it still left Zuko feeling exhausted. It seemed he wasn’t cut out for anything that required emotional energy. </p><p> </p><p>Sokka unceremoniously dropped Aang’s bag on the floor, declaring, “It’s <em> your </em> turn to sleep on the floor. I need and deserve a bed.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang just shrugged and agreed and set about creating a sleeping space. Sokka jumped onto the bed and stretched, taking up the majority of the mattress. Zuko decided not to comment and just took his first-aid kit and snuck into the bathroom. Like the night before, he had just removed the bandages when there was a quiet knock on the door. “Sokka?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah. Can I come in?”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay.”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka entered and closed the door, eyes automatically scanning Zuko’s injuries. “It does seem to be healing okay,” he said, getting right in Zuko’s face. “Your bruise is looking better and I don’t think the burn is infected.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well that’s good,” he breathed, overwhelmed by Sokka’s proximity. “Katara said she used to have to patch you up a lot when you were little.”</p><p> </p><p>He rolled his eyes and wet a washcloth. “She probably exaggerated. Whatever she said, it wasn’t as bad and it wasn’t as often.” He brought the rag up to Zuko’s face, making him flinch away. “What?”</p><p> </p><p>“What are you doing?” he demanded, flustered.</p><p> </p><p>Sokka just brandished the cloth at him, raising an eyebrow. “Trying to get all the nasty gunk off your face?”</p><p> </p><p>“I know! I just– yesterday, you– okay.” He took a deep breath and steeled himself. “That’s fine.” He prayed to whatever gods were out there that he could fight off the blush that was threatening to consume him.</p><p> </p><p>Sokka wiped at his face, gentle, carefully cleansing him of any dead skin or other unmentionable aspects of a healing wound. Zuko found that he was unable to look away from Sokka’s face as he worked; he was absolutely positive that his face could rival a fire engine in hue, but Sokka made no indication that he took notice. He moved onto the antibiotic ointment, carefully swabbing it over his face. “It’s real bad everywhere,” Sokka said. “Is your eye okay?”</p><p> </p><p>“I can see out of it, but not very well,” he admitted.</p><p> </p><p>Sokka tsked at him. “You should’ve gone to a doctor.”</p><p> </p><p>“I was a little preoccupied.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know.” Sokka went quiet as he started to rebandage Zuko’s face, looking distracted. </p><p><br/>
“What?”</p><p> </p><p>He was quiet for another few moments until he was satisfied with his job. “You know, it’s okay. To be vulnerable. It’s okay to let the people who care about you take care <em> of </em> you.” He packed all the things from the first-aid kit away neatly. “Like that Uncle that keeps calling you.” </p><p> </p><p>Zuko felt winded. He wasn’t aware that anyone had been able to see who was trying to contact him so incessantly, and he certainly had no idea how to respond. He just gaped, stunned.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I think you’re healing well, at least by untrained teenage doctor standards. You’ll be okay.” Sokka smiled before he left, leaving Zuko alone in the bathroom to think.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>this was supposed to be a fun and cute zukka focused roadtrip but it's turning into zuko needs to learn that he is allowed to exist and have feelings and be loved oops</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Tuesday</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>:)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He woke feeling strangely rested for the second time in a row. He stretched, sitting up when his limbs made contact with another person’s body. There was Sokka, sprawled out in the middle of the bed, hogging all the blankets, hardly leaving any space for Zuko. He smiled to himself and he got up. </p><p> </p><p>Everyone was in a good mood that morning. They ate and hit the road as fast as possible; Sokka and Katara were practically bouncing in excitement, making Zuko glad that Suki was the one currently behind the wheel. “We should probably get there around noon,” Aang said, plotting the distance in his phone. “Just in time for lunch!”</p><p> </p><p>The car cheered at that. They passed the time by playing games amongst themselves, checking the license plates of passing cars for their states of origin, going through the alphabet by finding road signs, anything they could think of to keep them grounded and occupied. There was a tangible air of excitement in the little van, and Zuko found that even he was getting caught up in it, though he really had no idea where they were going and he had never met the people they were going to visit. </p><p> </p><p>The world around them had been steadily growing more sparsely populated; it looked like something out of one of those giant nature puzzles his Uncle liked to do. There were mountains and thick forests, everything overwhelmingly green. He could see streams and small rivers winding through the trees and between rocks; as they drove along, he could just pick up the faintest scent of fresh grass. He didn’t really know how much farther they had to go, but he hoped their destination wasn’t too far off from the idyllic scene surrounding them. </p><p> </p><p>Thankfully, the longer they drove, the trees only thickened and the mountains in the distance only grew taller. True to Aang’s estimate, a village appeared before them around noon. It was small; Zuko could see through to the other side from the main road, but it didn’t look sad or dilapidated. He could feel the excitement rolling off of Katara in waves from where she sat next to him, and he found that he was happy for her. He was glad that his friends had a place to go to find family they loved. </p><p> </p><p>It was only a few turns until they pulled into the gravely driveway of a rather quaint looking cottage. Katara barely waited until the car was in park before she tore the door open and jumped out. Zuko couldn’t help laughing as Sokka and, surprisingly, Aang did the same. As they all but ran to the front door, Zuko helped Suki and Toph unload the car. He was weighed down with extra bags and sudden anxiety about meeting Sokka and Katara’s grandmother as he followed Suki into the house; he was basically an uninvited guest, after all, and hadn’t thought about how he might be received.</p><p> </p><p>He heard squealing (which turned out to be Sokka, not Katara) in a room ahead of him, down the tiny hallway he stood in. He followed the sound to a small living room, homey looking with overstuffed armchairs and handmade throw pillows. Sokka, Katara, and Aang were in the middle of it, crowding around a small woman he could only assume was their grandmother. Suki dropped the bags she was carrying and ran over to join them, throwing her arms around the old woman. </p><p> </p><p>Zuko stood awkwardly in the doorway, which made Toph bump into his back. “Sorry,” he muttered, and moved out of the way so she could join the heartfelt reunion everyone else was taking part of.</p><p> </p><p>“What’s wrong?” she asked him, feeling around for his arm and pulling him into the room proper once she found it. </p><p> </p><p>He shook his head before he remembered that she couldn’t see him. “I don’t know,” he said. “I just kind of feel like I’m intruding.”</p><p> </p><p>She shrugged. “I get that. I felt that way the first couple times I tagged along with them, too. But Gran Gran is great.” She smiled at him and strode over to the center of the room to meet everyone else, dragging him along. “Gran Gran! This is our friend Zuko.”</p><p> </p><p>He tensed, unprepared to face the woman. She turned to look at him, taking in his appearance, healing bruise, bandaged face and all. There was barely a beat of silence before she beamed at him and held out her hand. “Very nice to meet you, Zuko,” she said. </p><p> </p><p>He shook her hand and offered her the best smile he could muster. “Thank you for having me,” he said. </p><p> </p><p>“The more the merrier.” She looked at all the children before her and gestured to the back of the house. “Go put your things away! I’ll have lunch ready soon.”</p><p> </p><p>He followed everyone else down a different hallway, feeling a little lost, but Sokka just glanced back and told Zuko to follow him. He led him up a flight of stairs that opened up to a small attic space. There were boxes and miscellaneous furniture in a corner that was obviously just used for storage, but the majority of the space had been transformed into a makeshift bedroom. There was a bed and a cot done up with the proper bedclothes. “Sorry there are only two beds,” Sokka said. “We didn’t really know we’d have another guest.” </p><p> </p><p>“That’s alright, I can sleep on the floor. I don’t mind.”</p><p> </p><p>Aang followed behind them and dropped his bags at the foot of the cot, sitting down on it after. “We can trade off, still!” he offered.</p><p> </p><p>Sokka nodded. “Or we can share,” he said, gesturing to the bed. It was small, but it could probably fit two people if they tried. </p><p> </p><p>“You don’t have to,” Zuko shook his head. </p><p> </p><p>Sokka just shrugged. “C’mon, I’ll show you where the bathroom is.” He led him back downstairs and gave him a brief tour of the house. The girls were staying in a room at the end of the hall, past the staircase, and they came out to join them as they made their way back into the kitchen. </p><p> </p><p>Gran Gran had prepared quite a spread for them; the dining table was laden with freshly baked bread, serving dishes full of vegetables, rice, and meat, and bowls of soup set out at every place setting. Zuko’s mouth watered at the sight of it, and he almost wept with joy when Gran Gran invited them all to sit down. </p><p> </p><p>Zuko hadn’t seen a properly made family meal for the better part of a decade. He was worried about being too greedy with the food, but any concern about being impolite dissipated when he noticed everyone else around them piling food into structurally unsound heaps that barely fit on their plates. Sokka and Katara’s grandmother asked them about how their father was doing, about how the school year had been, any major updates in their lives, but she didn’t stop at her own grandchildren. She inquired after every child seated at her table, taking interest in each one as if they were her own. She asked Zuko similar questions, but didn’t pry into his appearance or the reasons why he had randomly shown up on her doorstep alongside the people she had actually invited. Zuko could have broken down and wept in gratitude right there at the table. </p><p> </p><p>Once they had finished their extravagant lunch, pleasantly stuffed and laid out on the couches in the living room, Zuko decided to talk to Gran Gran. She was cleaning the dishes after the meal, and Zuko slipped into the kitchen. “Can I help you with that?” he asked, feeling a little awkward.</p><p> </p><p>She looked up at him and nodded, moving aside to give him space in front of the sink. “I’ll wash and you can dry.” </p><p> </p><p>He took the towel she offered him and did as he was told, quiet in his contemplation. He didn’t even know where to begin with what he wanted to say to her, but she didn’t press. She was just content to have help with her household chores in companionable silence, and that alone almost overwhelmed Zuko. “I’m sorry to turn up out of the blue,” he said finally, the words rushing out of his mouth before he could stop himself. “I know it must seem really rude. I don’t know if Sokka or Katara even let you know– Sokka just had asked if I wanted to come along, and I didn’t really have anywhere else to go, so I agreed. I’m really grateful you’re letting me stay here.”</p><p> </p><p>“Zuko,” she said. “I’ve taken in so many children under my roof, one more is nothing. Besides,” She looked him up and down. “It seems you really need it.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Sweetie?” she’d asked, her voice sweet and clear, filling the silence of his bedroom. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, squeezing a pillow to his chest, staring pointlessly into the carpet of his bedroom floor. “Aren’t you coming down for lunch?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “No,” Zuko had answered, trying to sound tough, but his voice broke and he bit his lip to keep it from visibly wobbling. “I want to stay up here.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> His mother took a seat next to him on the edge of his bed and wrapped an arm around him. He couldn’t have been more than nine or ten; he was much smaller than her and unafraid to take advantage, tucking himself into her side. He abandoned his pillow and curled up next to her, taking comfort in the knowledge that his mother, at least, cared about his feelings. “You need to eat something, darling.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “I don’t want to go eat. I don’t want to see Azula. Or Dad.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> She had sighed then, petting his hair softly. “I know. I’m sorry for the way your sister was acting.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “It’s not just Azula! Dad never gets her in trouble.” He hugged himself. “She broke the toy swords Uncle got me. Dad didn’t even say anything.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> There was a moment of silence, his mother just holding him close, soothing his racing heart. After a minute or so, she stood. “I’ll bring you up something to eat, how about that?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Won’t Dad be mad about me eating in my room?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> She shrugged. “I’ll deal with him if he is.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Zuko had grinned at her then and nodded. That was the last time anyone had gone out of their way to make sure he was taken care of. That he was healthy. That he was safe. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>He exhaled heavily, almost laughing to himself. “Yeah. I really do.” He folded the towel and placed it neatly on the counter when he was done drying the last dish. “I just wanted to say thank you. I think it’s great you take care of everyone here.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m a grandmother. That’s my job,” she smiled at him. “Go sit down. Have fun with your friends.”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko returned the smile before he went into the living room and collapsed on the couch next to Aang. “I’m dead,” Toph announced from her position draped over an armchair. “I’ve finally been defeated.”</p><p> </p><p>They all laughed at her, Suki nudging her foot into Toph’s. “I was going to suggest we all go on a hike earlier, but now I think it might kill us,” Katara said. They all gave tired groans in agreement.</p><hr/><p>They spent the rest of the day lazing about the house, talking with each other and catching up with Gran Gran. Zuko took the opportunity to look around a little bit, noting all the trinkets littering every surface and the photographs adorning every wall. He looked over them all, wondering the significance behind the wood carvings and seashells, making up backstories for each smiling face he found. </p><p> </p><p>He picked a framed picture up off of a side table near the kitchen, staring down at the photo of a newlywed couple. They were holding hands, surrounded by flowers, grinning so wide their faces must have hurt. The woman was beautiful and the man was handsome; they were the perfect picture of love and a hopeful future. “Those are my parents,” Katara said behind Zuko, startling him. </p><p> </p><p>“They look really happy,” he said.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah.” Katara took the photograph from him and ran her fingers over the glass, stroking over the figure of her mother. “Obviously this was before Sokka or I was born, but I still think this is the best picture of Mom. She looked ready to take on anything.”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko’s heart clenched. He knew the feeling of mourning for his mother’s future; her whole life with his father never held as much joy as he could see in this single photograph, but she never got the chance to make any changes for the better. His parents’ own wedding photo was stale, staged, and forced. It would never hold the life this picture had. Zuko’s mother deserved far better than what she received, and his throat tightened just thinking about it. “Yeah,” he said. </p><p> </p><p>Katara looked up at him and touched her necklace. “She gave this to me,” she explained. “It was Gran Gran’s before that. I wear it every day so I can have a little part of her with me wherever I go. She’s gone and I miss her, but this makes it a little easier.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s really nice. I’m glad you have something to remind you of her.” Zuko didn’t. Zuko had nothing. </p><p> </p><p>Before either of them could say anything else, Sokka burst into the room, arms full of extra pillows and blankets. “Movie time!” he announced, unceremoniously dumping his cargo in the middle of the floor. Katara just rolled her eyes and went over to join her brother, curling up on the couch with a blanket. Sokka threw himself down and began fiddling furiously with the TV remote, trying to bring the movie up.</p><p> </p><p>Zuko sat with Toph upon her request (demand), squished between her and Aang, who sat close on his other side. The title screen for <em> Finding Nemo </em> finally popped up, eliciting a yell of triumph from Sokka, and he turned to Aang in confusion. “<em>Nemo</em>?” he whispered. </p><p> </p><p>“If you’ll allow me to explain,” Sokka started, standing, apparently having heard Zuko. “The harrowing tale of a nearly-orphaned baby fish who is tragically kidnapped, known by the formal title <em> Finding Nemo</em>, was me and Katara’s favorite movie when we were little. We watch it every time we come to visit Gran Gran, and now we have branched out to include our friends in this viewing, and so it has become a summer road trip tradition.”</p><p> </p><p>“You could’ve just said you watch it every time,” Suki commented. </p><p> </p><p>Sokka huffed but sat down. Aang shot an amused look at Zuko and laughed behind his hand. And so the film began, but no one was really paying attention. Everyone around him was hurling inside jokes at each other, reminiscing about the times they’d watched this movie together in the past, sharing favorite memories. Zuko tried to follow along but felt that he was something of an outsider looking in, missing most of the context necessary to understand their stories.</p><p> </p><p>He wrapped the blanket Sokka had tossed to him around himself tighter, trying to focus on the movie over the buzz of conversation going on between everyone but him. He did not share a pleasant history with these people beyond the past five days, and so he was locked out of their jokes and memories. He was finally a friendly face, but one that was horribly mutilated and horribly <em> new </em> to them, and he would never be able to change that. </p><p> </p><p>Zuko ate dinner with them, responded when he was spoken to, laughed when he was joked with, and offered a relevant anecdote when the opportunity presented itself, but he felt hollow. He helped Gran Gran with the dishes again with the added help of Katara and Aang, and then he went off to get ready for bed. He’d changed into his sleep clothes quickly and went downstairs to sneak into the bathroom. He heard footsteps running back and forth in the hall and up and down the stairs while he removed his bandages and cleaned the wound, trying not to think about how comfort in Gran Gran’s home came naturally to everyone but him by simple virtue of having been Sokka and Katara’s friend for longer than a week. </p><p> </p><p>He was lost in thought when there was a knock on the bathroom door. It repeated a few times before Sokka cracked the door open, letting himself in when he saw that Zuko was decent. “Why didn’t you come find me?” he asked, taking the washcloth from Zuko’s hands and resuming the job for him. </p><p> </p><p>“You don’t have to help me,” he said, looking away from the other boy’s face. </p><p> </p><p>Sokka began to swab ointment over his burn, frowning a little as he went. “What’s wrong, Zuko? You’ve been off all evening.”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko was quiet, surprised that Sokka had noticed and at a loss for the words to explain. He didn’t want to sound ungrateful for his friendship and the kindness of his grandmother for allowing him to stay in her home; he wouldn’t trade the past week for anything in the world, but that didn’t stop him from feeling like he was invading Sokka’s group of friends and family.</p><p> </p><p>“Zuko?” he repeated, drawing him out of his thoughts. </p><p> </p><p>“I just...you all have been friends for years. I was listening to you talk about the things you’ve done together and I wasn’t there, and I know that was my fault. I just feel like I’m on the outside. I know it’s stupid, but I wish I had been there.”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka just nodded and began to rebandage his face. “I understand.” Zuko raised an eyebrow, doubting him, but Sokka smiled. “We have a friendly history and you, uh, don’t. Not with us. And now, you being our friend, it sucks. But look at it this way; we’ve come a long way from how we all treated each other when we first met, right? You may not have been our friend before, but you are <em> now</em>. We get to make new memories, and you’ll be in them this time. I think it’s something to look forward to. I’m really glad you’re here, Zuko.” </p><p> </p><p>He could feel his heart hammering in his chest, beating against his ribcage in an attempt to escape. Sokka was standing before him, smiling so easily and genuinely, a sincerity in his eyes Zuko was unable to question. He went out of his way to help Zuko take care of his wounds, bearing witness to the full extent of his mangled face, and he <em> still </em> found it within himself to look him in the eye and tell him that he <em> looked forward </em> to making new memories with him. Zuko couldn’t help himself. </p><p> </p><p>Zuko leaned in and he kissed Sokka, his blood practically singing with the warm feeling of being wanted and valued.</p><p> </p><p>Then he froze and jerked back, eyes widening in horror when his brain caught up to what his body had done. He jumped away from Sokka, putting as much distance between them as possible. Sokka just stared at the wall behind him, face frozen, mouth gaping, the gears in his head turning in a struggle to process what happened. </p><p> </p><p>Before Zuko’s mind could run completely off the rails with thoughts about how badly he had screwed everything up, Sokka’s eyes snapped to his and his eyebrows raised. “You…” he said, slowly. “Oh my <em> god</em>, you were kicked out– your dad burned half your fucking face off because you’re <em> gay</em>?”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko finally got his limbs to respond and he unfroze. He yanked the door open and fled down the hall and out the door, leaving his friends, stunned, in his wake. He flew down the street, his feet pounding on the gravel road til they met solid pavement, and he did not stop until he found himself in front of a bus station. He felt strangely numb, like he was watching himself speak and pay and walk from outside of his body. </p><p> </p><p>It wasn’t until nearly half an hour later that he felt like he could breathe again, watching the last remnants of sunlight fade from the evening sky through the bus window. He curled up in his seat and turned his phone off when he realized it was constantly buzzing with notifications. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep, knowing he had a long ride ahead of him. </p><hr/><p>It was well into the early morning, almost dawn, when he arrived at his destination. He had bought a ticket for the only place he knew he could go, and once he got off the bus, he began to walk to the house. It was a long walk, but it gave him time to cool his head, to think about what to say. His body hurt from the uncomfortable nap on the bus and his feet were tired and sore, but he did not let himself stop until he turned into the neighborhood, walked up the few steps to the front porch and stood in front of the door.</p><p> </p><p>He rang the doorbell and breathed. He knew it was early, but he had no other option unless he wanted to walk all the way back into town to rent a room at the hotel. After a few long moments, however, he heard footsteps from inside, and for the first time since he ran away from his father’s house, he felt relief at who he saw behind an opened door. “Zuko?”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, Uncle,” he said. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>only 1 more chapter!!!!!! sad</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Wednesday</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>let me present to u: the end</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At first he didn’t recognize the room he woke up in. Zuko half-expected to be on the floor of another bad motel or shoved to the edge of a mattress he shared with his friends, but he was in a bed, alone. He sat up and blinked, the room feeling familiar but his mind, still hazy with the dense fog of sleep, was unable to realize why. That is, until he heard a voice singing from somewhere in the house. </p><p> </p><p>He kicked off his blankets and was on his feet in seconds, practically breaking the bedroom door down in his haste to find his Uncle. He found him in the kitchen, making breakfast, a kettle on the stove. He stopped singing when he saw Zuko in the doorway, and his face broke into a smile. “Good morning, Zuko,” he said, holding a plate out to him. “Toast?”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko took the plate from him and roughly shoved it aside, pulling his Uncle into a tight hug. There was no hesitation before he responded, wrapping his arms around his nephew while Zuko shook against him. The night before came flooding back in its entirety and he remembered every millisecond of panic and anguish, but he was with his Uncle now. He would be cared for. He was safe. “Thank you for taking me in,” he said, his voice thick. He pulled back and studied his Uncle’s face, finding nothing but love and patience. </p><p> </p><p>“Of course,” he said, turning back to the stove (and Zuko was safe, untouched, away from the burner and content in the knowledge that he wouldn’t be pulled closer) to finish cooking their breakfast. “Zuko, you could have come here immediately. I’ll always let you in, no questions asked.” </p><p> </p><p>He sat at the little table in the corner of the kitchen. He was quiet, brows furrowed in thought. “Uncle, I want to explain to you what happened.”</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t have to. Azula actually contacted me earlier this week.”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko looked up at him in shock. “<em>Azula</em>? Called <em> you</em>?”</p><p> </p><p>Iroh nodded and placed a plate full of food down in front of him. “It shocked me as much as it does you, so I figured it was something important. And I was right.”</p><p> </p><p>He supposed there was no other way his Uncle would’ve known to call him constantly over the past week; Azula reaching out to their Uncle was unbelievable, but his father talking to his own brother was downright impossible. “I’m sorry I never answered your calls. But I do really want to explain. I owe it to you.”</p><p> </p><p>His Uncle sat down across from him with his own breakfast and poured them both a cup of tea. He sat quietly and nodded when appropriate as Zuko explained exactly what had happened last Friday, from the text to the burns to the road trip to the kiss. Iroh just sipped his tea as Zuko talked, never interrupting or reacting besides small acknowledgements as to what he’d said. </p><p> </p><p>Zuko ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry if I’ve disappointed you, Uncle. I can go somewhere else if you don’t want me here. I’ll understand,” he finished. </p><p> </p><p>To <em> that</em>, Iroh responded. He brought both hands down on the table, clattering the silverware and startling his nephew. His eyes were wide and his mouth was agape, as if he couldn’t believe what he had heard. “<em>Zuko</em>! I could never be disappointed in you! You are my nephew, but you are like a son to me. I love you exactly as you are and I would never want you any different.”</p><p> </p><p>He saw tears glittering in his Uncle’s eyes and he was sure they were streaming down his own face, and he was completely overwhelmed when Iroh stood from his chair and pulled him into another hug. He sobbed shamelessly into his Uncle’s shoulder, ignoring the pain from the pressure on his wounded eye. He’d had a home with him all along, but he was too afraid of possible rejection to consider pursuing it. Zuko couldn’t find the words to describe the gratitude and love he felt for his Uncle, so he settled for pulling away and giving him the brightest smile he could muster. </p><hr/><p>Zuko was sitting with his Uncle in the living room early that afternoon, reading a book while Iroh went over the records from his tea shop. He’d decided to take the day off to be with Zuko, which he insisted was unnecessary, but was grateful for anyway. It was quiet but companionable, but there was suddenly a knock at the door. He looked up to his Uncle who just shrugged and got up to answer it. Zuko stayed where he was, but he instantly recognized the voices frantically yelling from his Uncle’s porch. </p><p> </p><p>His stomach dropped and he put his book down. He crept into the entryway to stand beside his Uncle and face his friends. “Zuko!” Sokka shouted, grinning widely when he saw him appear in the doorway. </p><p> </p><p>“These are the friends you were telling me about, Zuko?” Iroh asked, quirking a brow at him. </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” he confirmed before facing the small mob on his Uncle’s doorstep. “What are you– how did you find me?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh!” Aang shoved his way to the front of the crowd, nudging Sokka out of the way. “I did it. Well, I helped. I know you’re friends with Mai so I texted her! Then she texted Azula and <em> she </em> told us you’d probably end up at your Uncle’s if you didn’t know where to go. She told us where it was, and now we’re here!”</p><p> </p><p>“We drove all night,” Katara elaborated. “Sokka, Suki, and I all switched out in shifts. We would’ve gotten here sooner, but we had to figure out what had happened and where you were.”</p><p> </p><p>Their explanations were still flying over Zuko’s head, their words barely containing meaning to him. He was overwhelmed and confused, dumbfounded. “How do you have Mai’s number?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve babysat for her brother before,” Aang explained. </p><p> </p><p>Iroh spoke up for the first time. “Would you all like to come in? It must be hot outside,” he offered.</p><p> </p><p>“Please!” Toph shouted from behind the others. The little group clambered inside Iroh’s house and spread out around his living room. Zuko took a defensive seat next to his Uncle, still feeling uncomfortable about what he had done the night before. “You have a lovely home,” Toph said, letting Suki guide her into a chair.</p><p> </p><p>“She’s blind,” Zuko whispered to Iroh, who laughed uproariously. </p><p> </p><p>“Would anyone like some tea?” Iroh offered, disappearing into the kitchen to make some for those who agreed. </p><p> </p><p>Now that Iroh was out of the room, the group’s faces melted into expressions of solemnity. Aang leaned forward in his chair, looking apologetic. “Zuko, we’re so sorry about everything that has happened to you. You deserve so much better.”</p><p> </p><p>Before Zuko could brush him off, Toph jumped in. “You’re our friend now. We’ll accept you no matter what.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re really important to us. We wouldn’t ever try to push you away,” Suki added.</p><p> </p><p>“We love you and nothing can change that,” Katara said.</p><p> </p><p>Sokka nodded in agreement to everything the others had said, but then he crossed the room to stand in front of Zuko. “We love you for who you are. We want <em> you</em>; all of you,” he said. “You didn’t have to run away. None of us would ever do anything even <em> close </em> to this.” He lightly brushed his fingers over the bandages covering Zuko’s left eye. “Never.”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko felt his heart beating, rushing blood up to color his face. Luckily, he was saved from having to think of a coherent response to that by his Uncle returning with tea for everyone. He handed a cup to each person and poured one for himself, smiling as he gazed upon the scene. </p><p> </p><p>“I think you have found a wonderful group of people, Zuko,” Iroh said.</p><p> </p><p>“I have,” he swallowed.</p><p> </p><p>Sokka surged forward to pull him up into a hug, and was quickly joined by everyone else. Zuko could barely breathe and he wasn’t very comfortable, surrounded by five other people in a giant clump of bodies, but there was nowhere else he would rather be. They finally let him go, laughing amongst themselves, smiles unable to fade. </p><p> </p><p>He was pulled off to a quieter corner of the room by Sokka, alighting an acute anxiety within Zuko. He opened his mouth to apologize, but he was cut off. “I’m sorry I froze up last night. I was just surprised and was trying to piece everything together,” he said.</p><p> </p><p>Zuko rubbed the back of his head, feeling awkward. “Well, I’m sorry I kissed you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t apologize!” Sokka smirked. “I liked it.” </p><p> </p><p>“You– what?”</p><p> </p><p>Sokka laughed. “Dearest Zuko, once you got over yourself, don’t you know you were the cause for my bisexual-idenitity-crisis-and-later-awakening? I’ve been trying to drop hints the entire time. <em> I prefer my men minty fresh</em>?”</p><p> </p><p>“You were <em> flirting </em> with me?”</p><p> </p><p>He smacked his palm into his forehead. “Gods, you’re dense. Whatever, that doesn’t matter. What I’m trying to say is, after we get back, whenever, would you like to go on a date with me?”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko smiled at him, involuntarily, like a reflex. “That sounds great.”</p><p> </p><p>“Cool.” Sokka looked awkward for a moment. “Can I, uh, kiss you? Proper?”</p><p> </p><p>He felt his face heat up but he nodded and leaned in, smiling against Sokka’s lips when he kissed him soundly. They broke apart when they heard Suki cooing from behind them. Sokka rolled his eyes at her when she laughed, and Zuko couldn’t even find it within himself to scowl.</p><p> </p><p>His friends laughed and talked to him and to each other and to his Uncle, and Zuko couldn’t help but break into a huge smile. He was surrounded by people he loved and people who loved him, something he never would have thought attainable. His Uncle put his hand on his shoulder, catching his attention. “I’m so proud of you,” he said.</p><p> </p><p>Zuko beamed at him. “I’m so lucky to have you, Uncle.”</p><p> </p><p>“And now you have them, too.” Zuko looked around the room, filled to the brim with love for his friends, and his heart nearly burst. </p><p> </p><p>Then there was another knock at the door. “Are you expecting anyone?” he asked Iroh, who shook his head. Zuko shrugged and went to answer the door, and nearly dropped dead when he saw who it was.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello, Zuzu,” Azula said. “Can I come in?”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko was too stunned to answer, and she took it as an affirmative. He followed behind her and the living room fell silent when she entered. “Azula?” Iroh asked. </p><p> </p><p>“Hello, Uncle. I hope you don’t mind that I’ve decided to stop by for a chat.”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko and his Uncle gave each other quick sideways glances, unsure what was happening or how to respond to the situation. Everyone else in the room huddled together, whispering amongst themselves in their confusion. Azula ignored them and then turned to stand in front of Zuko. </p><p> </p><p>“When Mai asked for Uncle’s address, I figured you’d turn up here,” she said, glancing over her shoulder at Zuko’s group of friends. “Which I’m guessing she needed for them. It doesn’t matter. I just needed to find you.” </p><p> </p><p>“How are you here?” Zuko finally asked.</p><p> </p><p>Azula crossed her arms. “I told Dad I was spending the night at Ty Lee’s and I drove here instead. Anything else?”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Why </em> are you here?”</p><p> </p><p>She just rolled her eyes at him. “I was getting there.” The exasperated look suddenly dropped off her face, replaced by a much more solemn one. Her gaze trailed over his face, lingering on the bandages covering half of it. “I know I’ve been horrible to you. I’ve been a terrible sister and I’ve done things I know you can’t forgive me for. But when I saw what our Dad did to you, I don’t know, something clicked. I know Dad likes me best, but I still can’t believe he would do something so <em> horrible </em> to you. After you left, he kept yelling about how ashamed he is of you and how much of a disappointment you are.” <br/><br/></p><p>Somewhere deep in Zuko’s subconscious knew that his father must have continued to spout terrible things about him after he left the house, but hearing Azula confirm that he actually had hurt more than he cared to admit. He knew his father hated him, but he was his <em> father</em>. He only had one parent left, and that parent didn’t want anything to do with him; he held so much disdain for his own son that he would cause him physical harm just to get him out of his house. Zuko looked away, but Iroh’s hand came up to rest on his shoulder in comfort, drawing Zuko back into the moment. </p><p> </p><p>“I don’t even care that you’re gay. I’m sorry about what he did to you. It wasn’t fair.” She looked away, uncomfortable. “And...I’m sorry, too. For being such a bitchy sister. I think I really need to work through some things and try to change. I’m so sorry, Zuzu, will you give me another chance? To be better?”</p><p> </p><p>Zuko was taken aback; he wasn’t sure Azula had apologized to him about anything since before their mother died. It was true that Azula made his life a lot harder than it had to be, but she was younger than him. She wasn’t impervious to the influence of their father, and he bet she was just as scared of him as he was. She went through the effort to lie to their father and drive all the way to their Uncle’s house just to talk to him. She was standing in front of him, hugging herself, refusing to meet his eye, in front of her family and a group of strangers, asking for forgiveness, when she had never admitted a mistake before in her life. </p><p> </p><p>He smiled at her. </p><p><br/>“Of course,” he said.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i apologize i actually think this chapter's fairly boring but i wanted to tie it up happily so everyone can love each other and feel safe and give azula a chance bc i love her and shes just a kid and is also abused</p><p>nyway thank u sm to everyone who's stuck w me!! tysm for reading and commenting and leaving kudos &amp; i hope you've enjoyed it :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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